114Driving and operatingParking9Warning
■ Do not park the vehicle on an
easily ignitable surface. The
high temperature of the exhaust system could ignite the surface.
■ Always apply parking brake without pressing release button.Apply as firmly as possible on a
downhill slope or uphill slope.
Depress foot brake at the same
time to reduce operating force.
■ Switch off the engine.
■ If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear. On an uphill slope,
turn the front wheels away from the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill
slope, engage reverse gear.
Turn the front wheels towards
the kerb.
Lock the vehicle 3 20 and activate the
anti-theft locking system 3 28 and
anti-theft alarm system 3 28.
Air suspension
Operates automatically when the
vehicle is driven. The air suspension
system constantly adjusts the ride
height according to the vehicle load.
For further information on the air
suspension system, refer to the
operating instructions supplied.
Master switchCaution
The air suspension system must
be switched off when the vehicle is being towed, jump‐started, raised
off the ground or transported.
Do not switch off the air
suspension system when driving.
Jump starting 3 171, Towing the
vehicle 3 174.
The master switch is located on the
door pillar.
Remote control
Driving and operating121
It is possible to use the Laden mode
in both manual and automatic
modes.In both cases, the gearshifting
patterns are adapted automatically
for carrying an increased payload.
Activation
Press the kg button.Control indicator
kg is shown in the transmission
display.The transmission will then
select optimized gearshift patterns.
Deactivation
The Laden mode is switched off by:
■ pressing the kg button again,
■ turning off the ignition.
Kickdown If the accelerator pedal is pressedpast the pressure point, the
transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on engine speed.Full
engine power is available for
acceleration.
If engine speed is too high the
transmission switches to a higher
gear, even in manual mode.Without
kickdown this automatic shift is not
effected in manual mode.Fault
In the event of a fault, control indicator
W is shown in the transmission
display. Continued driving is possible
provided the vehicle is driven with
care and anticipation.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power
supply The clutch is not disengaged if there
is an interruption of the power supply
when a gear is engaged. The vehicle
cannot move.
If the vehicle battery is discharged,
start the vehicle using jump leads
3 171.
If the cause of the fault is not a discharged vehicle battery, seek the
assistance of a workshop.
If neutral cannot be selected, the
vehicle must only be towed with the drive wheels raised off the ground
3 174.
Towing the vehicle 3 174.Brakes
The brake system comprises two
independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when you depress the
brake pedal firmly. You need to use
considerably more force for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek
the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 81.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.
138Vehicle careVehicle careGeneral Information...................138
Vehicle checks ........................... 139
Bulb replacement .......................147
Electrical system ........................155
Vehicle tools .............................. 158
Wheels and tyres .......................159
Jump starting ............................. 171
Towing ....................................... 174
Appearance care .......................175General Information
Accessories and vehicle
modifications
We recommend the use of genuine parts and accessories and factory
approved parts specific for your
vehicle type. We cannot assess or
guarantee reliability of other products
- even if they have a regulatory or
otherwise granted approval.
Do not make any modifications to the electrical system, e.g. changes of
electronic control units (chip tuning).Caution
When transporting the vehicle on
a train or on a recovery vehicle, the
mud flaps might be damaged.
Vehicle storage
Storage for a long period of time
If the vehicle is to be stored for several months:
■ Wash and wax the vehicle.
■ Have the wax in the engine compartment and underbody
checked.
■ Clean and preserve rubber seals.
■ Change engine oil.
■ Drain washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check coolant antifreeze and corrosion protection.
■ Adjust tyre pressure to the value specified for full load.
■ Park vehicle in a dry, well ventilated
place. Engage first or reverse gear.
Prevent the vehicle from rolling.
■ Do not apply parking brake.
Vehicle care145
The anti-theft alarm siren must be
deactivated as follows: Switch the ignition on then off, disconnect the
vehicle's battery within 15 seconds.
Battery access
The battery is located behind a panelin the front left-hand door step.
Remove the panel to access the
battery.
Charging the vehicle battery9 Danger
Ensure adequate ventilation when
charging the battery. There is a
risk of explosion if gases
generated during charging are
allowed to accumulate!
Jump starting 3 171.
Warning label
Meaning of symbols: ■ No sparks, naked flames or smoking.
■ Always shield eyes. Explosive gases can cause blindness or
injury.
■ Keep the vehicle battery out of reach of children.
■ The vehicle battery contains sulfuric acid which could cause
blindness or serious burn injuries.
■ See the Owner's Manual for further
information.
■ Explosive gas may be present in the vicinity of the battery.
Additional battery
Depending on the vehicle's auxiliary
equipment, certain models may have
an additional battery mounted under
the front seat.
Vehicle care165
7.Screw the sealant filler hose to the
tyre valve.
8. The rocker switch on the compressor must be set to
position O.9.
Connect the red < power supply
lead on the compressor to the
jump start terminal 3 171.
Notice
Depending on model, the jump start
terminal may be located at the left-
hand or right-hand side of the engine
compartment.10. Connect the black ] power
supply lead to a vehicle grounding point, e.g. the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt.
Notice
Depending on tyre repair kit type, it
may be necessary to connect the
single power supply lead to the
power outlet or cigarette lighter
socket.
For this type, the red < and
black ] power supply leads will not
be present.
To avoid discharging the battery,
we recommend running the
engine.
Vehicle care171
Place wheel below the vehicle frame,
then tighten cable using the wheel
wrench and adapters until the wheel is secured in the fully raised position.9 Warning
Ensure the front of the wheel (side
with tyre valve) is facing
downwards when the spare wheel is reinstalled below the vehicle
frame.
Temporary spare wheel
Caution
The use of a spare wheel that is smaller than the other wheels or in
combination with winter tyres
could affect driveability. Have the defective tyre replaced as soon as
possible.
Only mount one temporary spare
wheel. Do not drive faster than
50 mph. Take curves slowly. Do not
use for a long period of time.
If your vehicle gets a flat tyre on the
rear while towing another vehicle,
mount the temporary spare wheel in
the front and the full tyre in the rear.
Tyre chains 3 163.
Summer and winter tyres If you use winter tyres, the spare
wheel may still be fitted with a
summer tyre.
If you use the spare wheel when it is
fitted with a summer tyre the vehicle's
driveability may be affected,
especially on slippery road surfaces.
Directional tyres
Fit directional tyres such that they roll in the direction of travel. The rolling
direction is indicated by a symbol
(e.g. an arrow) on the sidewall.
The following applies to tyres fitted
opposing the rolling direction:
■ Driveability may be affected. Have the defective tyre renewed or
repaired as soon as possible.
■ Do not drive faster than 50 mph.
■ Drive particularly carefully on wet and snow-covered road surfaces.Jump starting
Do not start with a quick charger.
A vehicle with a discharged battery can be started using jump leads and
the battery of another vehicle.9 Warning
Be extremely careful when starting
with jump leads. Any deviation
from the following instructions can
lead to injuries or damage caused
by battery explosion or damage to the electrical systems of both
vehicles.
9 Warning
Avoid contact with eyes, skin,
fabrics, and painted surfaces. The fluid contains sulphuric acid which can cause injuries and damage in
the event of direct contact.
172Vehicle careCaution
The air suspension system must
be switched off prior to jump
starting.
9 Warning
Avoid contact of the battery with
eyes, skin, fabrics and painted
surfaces. The fluid contains
sulphuric acid which can cause
injuries and damage in the event
of direct contact.
■ Never expose the vehicle battery to
naked flames or sparks.
■ A discharged vehicle battery can already freeze at a temperature of
0 °C. Defrost the frozen vehicle
battery before connecting jump
leads.
■ Wear eye protection and protective
clothing when handling a vehicle
battery.
■ Use a booster battery with the same voltage (12 volts). Its capacity(Ah) must not be much less than
that of the discharged vehicle
battery.
■ Use jump leads with insulated terminals and a cross section of at
least 25 mm 2
.
■ Do not disconnect the discharged battery from the vehicle.
■ Switch off all unnecessary electrical
consumers.
■ Switch off the air suspension system 3 114.
■ Do not lean over the vehicle battery
during jump starting.
■ Do not allow the terminals of one lead to touch those of the other
lead.
■ The vehicles must not come into contact with each other during the
jump starting process.
■ Apply the parking brake and engage neutral (manual
transmission) or N (manual
transmission automated).Jump start terminal
In the event of a discharged vehicle
battery, the jump start terminal
enables the vehicle to be started
without the need to access the battery inside the vehicle.
The jump start terminal is located in
the engine compartment and
identified by a " <" sign on the red
insulating cover. Lift the red insulating
cover to access the terminal
connector.
Ensure the red insulating cover is
latched back into position when not in
use.
Vehicle care173
Jump starting procedure
Depending on model, the jump start
terminal may be located at the left-
hand or right-hand side of the engine
compartment.
Lead connection order:
1. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red lead to the jump start terminal of
the vehicle with the discharged
vehicle battery.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal of the boosterbattery.
4. Connect the other end of the black
lead to a vehicle grounding point,
such as the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt. Connect as
far away from the discharged
vehicle battery as possible,
however at least 60 cm.
Route the leads so that they cannot
catch on rotating parts in the engine
compartment.
To start the engine: 1. Start the engine of the vehicle providing the jump start.
2. After 5 minutes, start the other engine. Start attempts should be
made for no longer than
15 seconds at an interval of
1 minute.
3. Allow both engines to idle for approx. 3 minutes with the leads
connected.
4. Switch on electrical consumers (e.g. headlights, heated rear
window) of the vehicle receiving
the jump start.
5. Reverse above sequence exactly when removing leads.